Mother Substitute

A mother substitute or a mother figure, from a psychoanalytic perspective, is an individual whom you perceive as your mother even if she is not your biological mother. For instance, a college student did not receive much attention from her mother as a child. She is then often feeling attached to her teachers who seem to fit a mothering role. Also, she likes opening up to one of her classmates who is 5 years older than her as she “reminds her” of her own mother.